Boat.



Patented Nov. 5, I90l.

V. ENGELHARDT..

BOAT.

(Application filed Dec. 29, 1900.)

(No Model.)

mums PETERS 110.. mom-um UNrTEn STATES.

PATENT @rnrcs.

VALDEMAR ENGELHARDT, OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,829, dated November 5, 1901. Application filed December 29, 1900. Serial No. 41,511- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LVALDEMAR ENGELHARDT, of Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented a new and useful Boat,which is fullyset forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to a boat to be folded up and of such a shape that it will occupy but very little space when folded up, that it is very easy to carry about and to get out into the sea, where it will be able to serve as life-saving apparatus not only when spread or distended, but also when folded up. Contrary to all other folding boats, which must be spread or distended before getting them out into the sea, this apparatus may at any moment, as well in the sea as out of the sea, be given the shape of a boat, which according to calculation Will not capsize or sink even when filled with water or overcrowded with people, and besides containing provisions and water at the same time will protect the passengers against the influence of the weather. The boat is further made self-ballasting by making the keel hollow and providing it with self-closing valves and self-freeing by beingprovided with tubes with self-acting Valves. As the boat must occupy as little space as possible, it is made fiat-bottomed, and to prevent the drift which will result therefrom during the sailing the boat is provided with a sinking keel to be folded up when not in use.

In the following description of a boat of this kind reference will be made to theaccom panying drawings, of which Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the boat'when spread or distended. Fig. 2 shows a top view of the boat. Fig. 3 shows a crosssection of the boat when spread or distended. Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the boat when folded up.

In all the figures the same numbers refer to same parts, respectively.

The keel and the keelson 1 are made from thin iron plates riveted together, forming a hollow space, which will be filled with water through self-closing valves 2 when the apparatus comes into the sea.- -A long groove 5 is further made in the lower part of the keel, into which the sinking keel may be folded up when not in use. The ribs 3, which are fastened to the keel, as well as the keel itself, fore and aft are connected with the rail 10 by means of knees 4. Two beams 7 are placed ing'a tackle 9, fastened to these knees.

closin g.

across the rail fore and aft and in like manner con nected with the keelson by two heavier knees S, which may be straightened by pull- By these means the cross-beams, together with the rail, may be raised, the knees between the ribs and the rail consequently-be straightened, and the apparatus assumes the shape of a boat. Outside the knees 4 is placed a ring 11, which is connected with the rail 10 by stanchions 12, along which a ring-thwart 13 may slide by its own weight until it rests upon the ring 11 on height with the joints of the knees, which thereby will be prevented from closing. At the same time the crossthwarts 14, which are firmly connected with the ring-thwart, will prevent the knee 8 from The ring-thwart is further kept in its place by spring-bolts 25 fore and aft. Between the ribs 3 is placed a carrying layer 6 of suitable light materialfor instance, cork' for the purpose of giving the boat such a buoyancy that it will not sink even if it is run full of water or overcrowded with passengers. In this layer 6 spaces 15, covered with hatches 16, may be left, destined to contain provisions, water, compass, rockets, &c. The whole framework is covered with canvas 17, which may be prepared as tarpaulin. This canvas also completely covers the layer 6. At thebottom the boat is also provided with tubes with self-acting valves for freeing pur poses. The ring-thwart, (forward,) as well as the rail 10, is furnished with canvas, on and under which the crew may find rest and shelter. The boat is furtherprovided with mast, sail, and oars, which are prevented from being swept away from the boat by the two cross-beams! and the movable mid-thwarts 18. The above-mentioned sinking keel consists of a long piece of canvas 19, the one long edge of which is fixed to the groove 5'and the opposite edge to the plate 20, which will cover the groove when the canvas is folded up in the groove. The sinking keel can be lifted or lowered by the bars 21, to which the plate 20 is fixed and the canvas fastened by sliding rings. The bars go water tight through the layer 6 and may be moved vertically up and down from the inside of the boat by the handles 22. They are so jointed that their upper parts may be laid down on the layer 6 when the sinking keel is folded up.

Havingnow particularly described and as in what mann'erthe same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is v 1. In a collapsible boat, a non-collapsible continuous gunwale and a non-collapsible bottom, collapsible sides connecting the gunwale and bottom, and a toggle-joint connection between the gunwale andbottom adapted to befolded together to collapse the sides to lower the gunwale upon the bottom and to ble sides.

2. In a collapsible boat, a non-collapsiblecontinuous gu'nwale and a non-collapsible bottom, collapsible sides connecting the gun wale and bottom, and a plurality of togglejoint connections between the gunwale and bottom adapted to be folded inwardly to collapse the sides to lower the gunwale upon the bottom and to be extended or straightcned to hold the gunwale and bottom apart Y to spread the collapsible sides.

3. In a collapsible boat, a non-collapsible continuous gunwale, a non-collapsible bottom, a toggle-joint. connection between the gunwale and bottom adapted to be folded'tog'ether to collapse the sides to lower the gunwale upon the bottom and to be extended to a hold the gunwale and bottom apart to spread the collapsible sides, and means for securing said toggle connection in its extended position.

, 4. In a collapsible boat, a non-collapsible continuous gunwale, a non-collapsible bottom, a plurality of toggle-joint connections between the gunwale and bottom adapted to be folded together to collapse the sides to lower the gunwale upon the bottom and to be extended to hold the gunwale and bottom apart to spread the collapsible sides, and

means for securing said toggle connections in their extended positions.

5. In a collapsible boat, a non-collapsible continuous gunwale, a non-collapsible bottom, a plurality of toggle-joint connections between the gnnwale and bottom arranged sides tolower the gunwale'upo'n the bottom and to be extended to hold the gunwale and bottom apart to spread the collapsible sides, and means for securing said toggle connections in their extended positions,

6. In a collapsible boat, a gunwale and a bottom, collapsible sides connecting the gun-v wale and bottom, a plurality of toggle-joint connections between the gunwale and bottom adapted to be folded together to collapse the sides and to be extended to hold the gunwale I and bottom apart to spread the collapsible sides, and a ring-thwartadapted to engage inin their extended positions.

7. In a collapsible boat, a gunwale and a bottom, collapsible sides connectingthe gunwale and' bottom, a plurality of toggle-joint certained the nature of my said invention and and thereby straighten the other toggle connections and spread the sides, and means for securing all of the toggle connectionsin their straightened positions. r v e 8. In a collapsible boat,.a gunwale'and a bottom, collapsible sides connecting the gun- 'wale and bottom, a plurality of toggle-joint means forforcibl y, s'traighteni'ngthe,same to forcibly separate the gunwale and bottom and thereby straighten the other toggle connections and spread the sides, stanchions depending from the gunwale and a ring-thwart in sliding engagement with said stanchions adapted to be lowered into engagement with all of the toggle connections to secure them in their straightened positions. v

9. In acollapsible boat, av gunwale and a bottom,collapsible sides connecting the same, a water-receiving keel, ribs extending from said keel, and automatically-operating valves through which water entersthe keel when the boat is put overboard. I

10. Ina boat, a gunwale,a water-receiving keel,collapsible connections between the gunwale and keel,and antomatically-operating.

11. In a boat,- a'fbottom, collapsible sides con nectedtherewith, and a collapsible cen terup against said bottom;

12; Ina boat, a bottom,

boardofflexible material adapted to be folded collapsible sides connected therewith, Iacollapsible centerboard ,otfie'xiblematerial adapted to be folded v n up against saidbottomflndmeans for spreadat intervals about the edge of the latter and, t adapted to be folded together to collapse the 'to'be: folded up in the recessot the keel, and

means for spreading said centerboard. I

In testimonywhereof I have signed this specificationin the presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

' VALDEMAR ENGELIIARDT. Witnesses:

J. H. V. BRAMMER, S. CHRISTENSEN. 

